Dustbins not emptied because they were the wrong colour leaves a Combe Raleigh resident disgusted by what she feels is a waste of money.

A WOMAN from Combe Raleigh has been left disgusted by what she calls ‘a waste of resources’ after refuse collectors failed to empty her dustbins - because they were the wrong colour.

Anne Biddle, 47, from Windgate Farm, returned home last Wednesday to find her brown rubbish bins had not been emptied.

When she contacted East Devon District Council she was told that the bins were not emptied because it was cracking down on refuse collection esnuring that only EDDC bins were emptied and that her bins were not the right colour.

She said: “I was given no warning that they were wrong and just came back from work to find them still full and with labels stuck on them.”

“The labels said sorry we have not emptied your bin for the following reason, things like the bin is too heavy, the lid wouldn’t close. Nowhere did it say it is the wrong colour.

Mrs Biddle told The Midweek Herald that she was given the bins by East Devon District Council in 2009 and was not aware that there had been any changes to her rubbish collection.

She added: “I had no reason to think that the bins given to me were not the right ones.

“The rubbish part aside what upsets me is the cost and time factor of it.

“It is so ridiculous because it’s not over a health and safety matter it’s just my bin is the wrong colour.

“It just seems so wrong when the council is so over spent.”

“I think the issue is that the council haven’t communicated to local people as a whole. Why didn’t they send a leaflet to inform people?

Staff had to return to empty the bins and a new one has now been ordered, which Mrs Biddle feels is a ‘waste of resources’.

She said: “How much is it costing them to order in new correctly coloured bins and come back to

empty the bins they haven’t done originally?

“It is just a waste of resources, time and money and seems very silly.”

A spokesman from East Devon District Council said: “The householder has presented waste in a bin that is not an East Devon District Council landfill bin.

“We have informed all residents that waste will only be collected from the bins that we provide.

“The householder has requested a larger capacity bin and we are waiting for the completed form to be returned.

“If the householder has aquired additional waste whilst this matter is being resolved then they can contact the Customer Service Centre to arrange for this waste to be collected as it will not automatically be taken by the crew as they are instructed not to collect side waste usually.”